The Longest Hour
by montez
Summary: One minute she was standing beside him, the next she was gone and the next hour became the longest, most terrifying of his life.


The Longest Hour  
By: Montez  
Disclaimer: Still don't own Castle, but I keep wishing.

_A/N: This is my take on the comment Castle made to Beckett during a case where a little boy was missing (sorry don't remember the episode) He'd commented about Alexis going missing one time when they were shopping and this story started to come together from there. Hope you enjoy it, Thanks-Montez_

"Daaaddddddyyyy, pleeeeaaasssseee, you promised I'd see Santa!" Four-year old Alexis Castle was not a whinny child by nature, but a preschooler's patience only lasted so long, especially when her father had promised her a visit with the Big Guy himself, then lunch at her favorite pizza place.

It was two weeks until Christmas and Alexis had been extra good because she really, really wanted a Furby, because 'it talks funny but I can teach it to talk right'. After all, her dad had told her that they couldn't have her first choice, a puppy, so she'd been begging him for the gremlin looking creature every since she saw the commercial while watching cartoons. He had told her that if she was really good, which of course she always was, that maybe Santa would get her one. And now, within just a few short steps of seeing Santa, her father pulled her into 'another' grown-up store, full of all those boring clothes. And these clothes weren't even the pretty clothes that she liked to wear; they were like the ones her daddy wore.

"I promise Pumpkin, this is the last stop, then it's off to Santa, then pizza." Richard Castle was just getting use to all the perks that came with being a best-selling author and was still amazed that when he walked into stores the staff would almost fall over themselves to help him, especially after his appearance on one of the morning show a few weeks ago. This store was no different, the salesperson quickly made their way toward him and his pouting daughter. Rick couldn't help but grin a little at just how cut Alexis looked when she pouted, her little arms crossed, her forehead wrinkled and her little lip sticking out. He knelt in front of her and lifted her chin just a bit so he could see her beautiful blue eyes, "You better watch it, you might just trip over that lip." He chuckled when she immediately sucked it back in, "I just want to look at a hat, okay? It won't be long then we'll go." When her expression didn't change he merely stood up, kissing her on the head as the salesperson directed him toward the fedora's he'd been interested in.

Alexis couldn't believe her father was more interested in looking at a stupid hat then taking her to Santa Claus. She watched as her daddy tried on the funny hat that reminded her of the guy in the movie they had watched not to long ago. The one about the guy who found old stuff and didn't like snakes. So she started looking around, all she saw was stuff for big people; big people pants, big people shirts, although she saw a purple shirt that she thought was pretty, maybe her daddy would buy that one, if he'd stop looking at those stupid hats. She looked back toward her daddy, he was just a few feet away, the man helping him handing her father another hat, a gray one. When she turned back to where she was looking she saw some fuzzy looking long coats, they looked soft, like Paige's kitty-cat that she'd petted when she'd had a play date with the dark-haired girl she'd met in preschool.

Walking the few feet across the store, Alexis stopped in front of the coats and reached her hand out to feel them, they were soft, just like the kitten. The red-haired girl yawned, she'd gotten up extra early this morning to try and fix her daddy breakfast, but she'd spilled the milk when she tried to pour it on the cereal. That was how her father had found her; she was on the floor with a whole role of paper towels trying to cleanup the mess. When she'd looked up at him, her lip was quivering and tears were spilling from her eyes, she was so afraid she was going to get in trouble for making a big mess. But instead her daddy picked her up, sitting her on the counter and after she sobbed out that she was making him breakfast, he just smiled and said, "No sense crying over spilled milk", then he kissed her as he took the paper towels and finished getting up the milk and soggy cereal.

Looking back toward her father again, she could just see him as he looked in the mirror the salesperson had directed him to, so she decided she'd take a nap while he got him that stupid hat. So four-year old Alexis Castle got down on her hand's and knee's and crawled under the rack of really soft coats, pulling her little pink coat close around her, she laid her head on her folded arms and closed her eye's, the sound of her father's voice as he talked to the person helping him reminded her that he was nearby and that she was safe, so her little eye's drifted closed as sleep overcame her.

"May I say, sir looks very handsome in that color." The salesperson was laying it on thick Rick thought as he adjusted the charcoal gray fedora.

"That's what you said about the last two I tried on." Rick laughed slightly as the salesperson seemed to realize the man he was helping was aware of what he was doing, fishing for the commission from the sale and hopefully a tip in the process.

"Well, I just…" The salesperson stumbled slightly.

"It's all right," Rick adjusted the hat again as he started to turn, "Hey Pumpkin, what do you…" The rest of the question died on his lips as he turned and didn't see his daughter standing next to him. He turned around, quickly scanning the store, "Alexis?" Rick started to walk away from the person helping him as he made his way through the isles, "Alexis!"

"Sir, is there a problem?" the salesperson asked, seemingly unaware of the growing panic emanating from his would-be customer.

"What?" Rick turned back toward the person then back around searching the store, "Did you see where she went? My daughter?" The author pulled the hat from his head, shoving it back at the person, "Alexis!" unbeknownst to him; Rick was moving further from where his slumbering daughter was hiding, unaware of the panic she'd just plunged her father into.

"No sir, I didn't…" The associate said, "I'll call security." He responded as the man quickly made his way toward the counter, while Rick continued to search the store.

Never in his life had Richard Castle felt more terrified then in this very moment. He'd thought he was terrified when Alexis was born, hell when they placed the small bundle in his arms and he realized he was responsible for protecting this tiny little creature they'd handed him, he'd been terrified. He'd barely been able to take care of himself and Meredith; he was just starting out in his writing, had published two books and was slowly making a name for himself in the industry. And though he loved Meredith, she wasn't the most stable person he'd ever met, but she'd been fun and that was why they'd gotten married, then she'd became pregnant and they both had been excited at first.

However, as the months progressed it seemed as if he was the one looking forward to the baby more than Meredith was. She'd make comments that didn't set well with him, about how this could curtail her career as an actress. That she'd never get her body back and nobody would want to hire her. She started to grow distant as the due date drew closer, then in the hospital when they handed him Alexis and he walked over to show Meredith the beautiful little person they had brought into the world, he watched as she cried. Rick was the one that feed Alexis for the very first time in the nursery because Meredith didn't want the baby in the room with her, she wanted to sleep. It was Rick that changed the tiny baby, with the help of the nurses who showed him how to do everything for his newborn daughter.

Once going home Meredith didn't seem all that interested in interacting with their new daughter. The doctor's had mentioned that some mother's experienced what they called 'baby blues' and could become depressed after the birth, so Rick didn't push, he took on all the responsibility of taking care of his little girl. It had broken his heart when just around Alexis's first birthday Meredith said she was leaving, going with her manager to LA in hopes of getting her career going. He had contacted his lawyer and made sure all the paperwork was in place, he insisted that Meredith give him full custody of Alexis, he didn't want her coming back on a whim and taking his little girl away. It didn't really shock him when Meredith didn't object, but it hurt him, thinking of everything Alexis was going to miss out on not having a mother around.

So since that day three-years ago it had been just Rick and Alexis, his mother would stop in every so often, Meredith would call occasionally, but mostly asking him for money and seemingly as an afterthought asking about Alexis. But now, now his world was falling apart, as each minute ticked by and he was unable to find the little girl that had been his life since the day she was born. "Alexis!" he called again, just as the salesperson approached him, with a uniformed man.

"Sir, this is Officer Stevens, he's head of mall security." The salesperson said.

Rick looked at the man, pleading in his eyes. "Please I can't find my daughter, she was just right here."

"Sir…" The officer started before Rick stopped him.

"Look, my names Rick, just please, help me find her, she's only four…" Rick turned, running his hand through his hair, "God, she knows not to wonder off, I just…"

"Sir…Rick, we'll find her. Do you have a picture of her, a description of what she was wearing? We've already called the local PD and they should be here any moment. I've got officers searching in the stores on either side of this one. We are locking down this section of the mall and will start a store to store search just as soon as the police get here, but they will want a picture and description." Officer Stevens's calm voice did nothing for Rick as he continued to move around the store.

"Yeah, I've got a picture…" Rick reached into his jacket, pulling out his wallet, flipping it open to the smiling picture of his daughter they'd just gotten from her preschool. Those big, bright, blue-eyes looked up at him and he felt his breath hitch, "Oh God, Alexis…" he whispered as he ran his finger over the picture, it was then he noticed his hands shaking.

"What's her name?" Rick looked up at the officer next to him, the man's notebook in hand. It was just over the man's shoulder that Rick noticed the workers in the store were starting to move about the store, looking for his daughter.

"Alexis, Alexis Castle, she's four." Rick handed the picture to the officer, "She's got red hair, blue eye's, she's about this tall," The writer motioned to just the top of his leg, his mind not being able to come up with the numbers, "She's wearing a…" He ran his hand over his face and through his hair again, turning, hoping to see her little red head pop up between one of the racks, "red leggings with snowflakes on them, a red shirt with Santa and a snowman…God all she wanted to do was see Santa…" A light went off in Rick's mind, "Santa, we need to check there."

Rick moved toward the stores entrance, but the officer reached out and took his arm, "That was the first place I sent my people, all the kids around Santa are with someone, but I've got someone there just in case she wanders that way. Now, what color's her coat?"

Again Rick ran his hand through his hair, it was a nervous habit he had, but never realized, "It's pink, pink with white cuffs," He motioned around his wrist as he continued, "Her gloves are pink too, there clipped onto her jacket, so she can't lose them. She's got black snow boots with white snowflakes on them; she said they'd match her pants." Rick let out a nervous chuckle as he recalled the conversation as he helped Alexis get dressed that morning, "Oh, her hair, French braid, she wanted a French braid this morning."

Officer Stevens offered Rick what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he listened to the father before him recount what he and his daughter had talked about that morning. The officer had dealt with parents of lost children before, it was a big mall and just like now, all it takes is a second and they are out of your sight. The officer watched as the father before him continued to turn in complete circles, unsure what he should be doing. Stevens thought to himself, they had always found the missing children before, most of them found their way to the large toy store or the food court and those were places that he'd already sent people. "I'm going to radio my people and give them your daughter's description, then I'll be right back. What I need you to do is stay in this store for me. That way we will know where you are when we find her, okay?"

"I need to help look for her." Rick could hear his own voice shaking. It was moment's like these he hated being a crime novelist, he'd always had a very acute imagination, that's what made him a good writer, but in a time like this, all his mind could do is jump to worst case scenarios. "You don't understand, what if someone took her? I'm supposed to protect her; I'm her father…God, what kind of father am I? I let her get…" Again Rick turned, this time running both hands through his hair, then bringing one to cover his mouth "If something happens…I…" Rick could feel the tears forming, his little girl, his precious little pumpkin was missing and it was all his fault. And for what, a stupid hat that he didn't need anyway. God what was he thinking, he'd promised her a visit to Santa, it was suppose to be her day and because he was being selfish his baby girl was missing.

"Rick, look at me," Officer Stevens reached out and touched Rick's arm, terrified eye's finally meeting his, "We'll find her, okay? I'll be right back, you stay here." Once he received a nod from the distraught father, Stevens stepped toward the entrance of the store to radio Alexis's description to his people and to meet the police officers that were quickly making their way toward the store.

Another voice pulled Rick from his thoughts as he absently watched Officer Stevens talking with the police officers that had just arrived, "Sir, we have a chair over here by the counter for you." Without much effort he allowed the salesperson from before lead him to a vacant chair that had been placed in front of the register. He didn't recall seeing it when he came in, so they must have brought it out just for him. Sitting heavily he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, head held in his hands as images of him and Alexis playing on the playground, feeding the ducks in Central Park, of them taking in the lights at Rockefeller Center played through his mind. "God please let her be all right." he whispered.

It seemed like forever, but he was sure it was only a matter of minutes before Officer Stevens returned with a uniformed NYPD officer. "Rick, this is Officer Gonzales with the NYPD." Rick stood as the cop extended his hand.

"My officers are searching along with mall security, we are already getting copies of your daughter's picture to everyone and every door entering or leaving the mall is manned with either a security officer or one of my officers, so everyone leaving is being checked." Officer Gonzales was trying to reassure the father before him that they were doing everything possible to find his daughter. "Now I know this is a difficult time, but can you think of anything else that might help us locate your daughter? Her favorite places here in the mall?"

As his hand went toward his hair again Rick shook his head, "Just the toy store, we were here to see Santa, but Officer Stevens said he's already got people there. I just…I don't know where she could have gone, we've talked about strangers, she knows not to wonder off, God if we'd just went and seen Santa, then we'd be at lunch now, instead of…" Rick's hand came up and pinched the bridge of his nose; again his over active imagination was getting to him.

"We are doing everything we can, we've got people double checking stores, we'll find her." The officer stopped a second as he took in the devastated man before him, it made him think of his own two children and how it would effect him if one of them went missing. Taking deep breath the officer pulled his thoughts together as he prepared to ask the next couple questions. He wanted to stay as positive as possible, after all they had no evidence that this was anything but a child who'd wandered off, but as a police officer he had to think about every possible situation, clearing his throat he addressed Rick, "Mr. Castle, I'm sure we will find Alexis soon," Officer Gonzales made a point of using the little girls name, it let the parents know he cared about what was going on, he'd learned long ago that just mentioning the child's man made the parents realize that he knew who he was looking for, that their child was real to the officer. "However, I need to ask a couple questions. First, where is Alexis's mother? Is it possible she went looking for her?"

Rick shook his head, "No, her mother's in California, I have custody of Alexis." The writer looked toward the entrance again as he heard faint calls of his daughter's name coming from out in the mall.

"Is there anyone you could think of that might take her? Someone you've had problems with? Who'd want to get back at you for some reason?" Officer Gonzales watched as the father's head jerked back to look at him, shock and fear in his eyes.

"What? No, you said you'd find her, that she just wandered off." Rick's mind had already played out that worst case scenario, but until this point everyone involved had reassured him that Alexis had just wandered off, but now, were the police thinking something had happened to his baby girl.

"I'm sure that is exactly what happened, but it's my job to cover all the bases Mr. Castle. I'm sure you understand." Officer Gonzales watched the man before him deflate again as Rick sat heavily back in the chair.

"I just want my daughter back." Rick said softly, leaning forward again.

"I'm sure she will be back with you shortly. If you'll excuse me, I need to call in to my captain and let him know what's going on. I'll be right back." Officer Gonzales said as he and Officer Stevens moved back toward the entrance of the store, giving the terrified father a few moments.

Rick could hear the sound of his daughter's name in the distance, when he was standing he could see uniformed officers moving about in the mall and in stores across the way. He could here the three associates that worked in the store he was in moving about the area, double and triple checking changing rooms, offices, between the clothes racks. Rick looked at his watch, it had been nearly an hour since he turned around and didn't see his red-headed angel next to him. It had been nearly an hour since his world had come to a screeching halt and he knew it would not be right again until he had his little girl back in his arms.

"Over here!" Rick's head shot up as he heard someone call out from the back of the store; quickly standing he made his way toward the spot, Officers Stevens and Gonzales making their way toward the back as well.

When Rick rounded the last rack he saw one of the associates knelling next to a rack of fur coats that nearly reached the floor, but what drew his attention was the pink bundle with red hair that was curled up under the coats, "Alexis?" He stumbled forward; gravity pulled him to his knees as he dropped beside the rack and reached out toward his still daughter. "Oh God, Alexis…" Rick wanted to reach forward and grab his little girl up, but he hesitated a moment, a part of his brain screamed that he would scare the daylights out of her if he did that, so he gently laid his hand on her small shoulder, "Hey, Pumpkin…" His broken voice whispered out.

He felt her twitch under his touch, causing him to release a breath he'd been holding for nearly an hour. He felt tears slip from his eye's as he watched her eye's scrunch up and blink open, "Daddy?"

Rick sat the rest of the way down as he reached for her, "Oh God…yeah baby, its daddy. What were you doing under there Pumpkin?" Alexis sat up and reached for her daddy. As soon as his hands touched her, Rick pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh Alexis…" He mumbled into her hair as he felt her little arms wrap around his neck.

"I was sleepy and you were looking at those hats." Alexis mumbled against her father, not really sure why he was holding her so tight, "Daddy, too tight, it hurts."

Rick pulled back and let out a sobbed chuckle, "I'm sorry sweetheart."

Alexis reached up and ran her little hand across her father's cheek, "Why are you crying daddy? Are you okay?"

Rick watched as his daughter's forehead crinkled like it did when she was trying to figure something out, then he watched as she lifted his hand, he took in a small breath when he felt her tiny fingers wipe away the tears that had slipped free when he finally saw her small form curled up on the floor. "I am now, I thought I lost you. I couldn't find you when you wanted to go to sleep and it scared me. But I've got you now and I'm okay." He smiled as he pulled her too him again, this time mindful to not squeeze so tight.

"I'm sorry daddy," Alexis's voice whispered, "I was just sleepy, I didn't mean to scare you." She pulled back and looked at her father's face, he had a big smile on his face, but his eye's still looked scared. Alexis reached up and placed both her hands on either side of her daddy's face and gave him a hard look, "You can't lose me, we belong together, I love you daddy."

Rick watched as his daughter leaned back a little, he could tell she was really looking at him, trying to figure out what happened, then her eyes took on a look that seemed so much older than her four years. When she spoke those words, sounding so grown up, so sure of herself, he knew right then that what she said was true, they did belong together, she was his world and always would be, "I love you too baby, I love you too." He whispered as he hugged her again, her arms hugging his neck tightly.

Several minutes passed just the two of them sitting on the floor as Rick allowed the feel of his daughter in his arms to chase away all the fears that had filled his mind. Again it was her small voice that brought his full attention back to her, "Can we go see Santa now?"

Rick couldn't help but laugh, as he heard a small chuckle come from behind him. He'd almost forgot where they were, in the middle of a men's department store, with a police officer, mall security officer and three employees watching the happy reunion. "Of course we can, right now." Still holding his daughter close, Rick moved to get up, Officer Gonzales helping him to his feet as Rick held his precious cargo tight in his arms. Once standing Rick turned toward the men, extending his hand. "Thank you for everything."

"We're just glad everything worked out." Officer Gonzales laid his hand on Alexis's back, causing the little girl to turn around and look at him, "You have fun visiting Santa okay."

Alexis leaned her head down on her daddy's shoulder, she'd always been a bit shy around strangers, but her father had always told her to be polite, "Okay." She wasn't sure who the man was, but he was in uniform and her daddy always told her that people in uniforms were there to help and if she ever needed help to find someone in a uniform.

Rick and Alexis finally exited the store they'd entered just over an hour before. As they walked out Rick noticed officers looking their way smiling, then they turned and headed back to their regular patrols. He couldn't help but smile back, all these people had stopped what they were doing and had been helping to look for his daughter who turned out to just be feet from him the whole time. As he carried her toward the center court and Santa Claus he couldn't help but keep hugging her, kissing the top of her head as it still lay on his shoulder. Her small voice spoke, "We still get to go for pizza?"

Finally reaching the line for Santa, Rick again hugged Alexis and laughed, "Of course, first Santa, then pizza, then whatever else you want to do. The rest of the day is Alexis day and we can do anything you want to do."

He watched her eye's light up, "Can we go ice skating? Then looking at lights? Then make snow angels in the park?"

"Whatever you want Pumpkin." Rick answered as they found themselves next in line.

Alexis pushed back against her father, wanting down. It had been a while since her father carried her this much, but she liked it, however now, it was almost her turn to see Santa. She felt her daddy lean over and place her on the floor, reaching out he took her hand. As they watched the little boy ahead of them talk to Santa Alexis reached over and tugged on the bottom of her daddy's coat, "Daddy?"

"Yeah, Sweetheart?" Rick knelt next to his daughter, trying to figure out if he was actually going to be able to release her hand so she can sit on Santa's lap.

"What do you want me to tell Santa to bring you for Christmas?" It never ceased to amaze him how thoughtful his little girl was.

Pulling her into another tight hug, he kissed her head and spoke softly, "I already got what I wanted for Christmas, I already got it."

Pulling back Rick glanced over and saw Santa waiting for his next visitor "Looks like it's your turn Pumpkin."

Alexis looked toward Santa, then back to her daddy still knelt in front of her, "I love you daddy." She said, leaning in to kiss his cheek, before she pulled her hand from his and raced over to Santa, quickly climbing on his lap.

Rick stood up, moving over next to the woman getting ready to take Alexis's picture. He watched as Alexis animatedly explained to Santa what she wanted for Christmas. He watched as her eye's danced, her hands moving quickly as she talked. He saw her big smile when she glanced over at him, then looked at the camera for her picture. As his little girl hugged Santa and took the offered candy cane he knew there would never be a material thing that could make him feel as happy as he was at this very moment, watching as his little girl skipped back too him, her small hand slipping into his. Yeah, he'd already gotten his Christmas present for every Christmas for the rest of his life, he had Alexis.


End file.
